The present invention relates generally to beverage dispensers and more particularly to a coffee dispenser having a coffee grinder mount assembly capable of moving a coffee grinder between an operating position and a servicing position.
Presently, there are vending machines offering purchasers the option of selecting freshly brewed coffee. Some machines offer freshly ground and brewed coffee, as opposed to coffee made from grounds stored within a canister located within the vending machine. To accomplish this, a coffee grinder must be provided within the housing of the machine adjacent a supply of coffee beans. The coffee grinder is typically supported by a support bracket located below a coffee bean storage bin and above a chute suitable for receiving ground coffee. When a cup of coffee is ordered, beans fall from the storage bin and into the grinder. The grinder is activated and the grounds are deposited in the chute where they are transferred to a brewing station.
Presently, there is a difficulty in accessing the coffee grinder for servicing and cleaning. Normally, a grinder is fastened to the support mount in its operating position. In order to access the grinder to change its blades or to clean it, the grinder has to be removed from its support. Due to confining space limitations, accessing the grinder has proven to be a difficult task with known equipment.
Vibration caused by the grinder is absorbed throughout the housing with various dissatisfying effects. For instance, granular food products like non-dairy creamer, sugar, tea and the like stored in the vending machine excessively settle and compact and clog valves that access the canisters and making it difficult to retrieve them upon demand.
A chute, located below the coffee grinder for receiving ground coffee, is also subject to frequent clogging. Static electricity causes finely ground coffee entering the chute to attract to the walls of the chute's opening thereby clogging the chute.